Airline hails Ogun’s new hub as alternative to Lagos and Ibadan airports
By Damilola Abiola
As Ogun State prepares to commission the Gateway International Airport (GWI), Iperu, ValueJet has announced plans to commence commercial flight operations from the new facility on October 7.
Capt. Omololu Majekodunmi, Accountable Manager and Managing Director of ValueJet, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Lagos, describing the development as a milestone for both the airline and the state.
“For a start, we will operate two weekly flights to Abuja on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. and return flights from Abuja to GWI at 4:00 p.m.,” Majekodunmi said. “Tickets will be available from September 25 online, through travel agents, and at the airport.”
The airline chief explained that the new service was part of ValueJet’s expansion drive to serve the growing passenger demand in Ogun State and provide an alternative to Lagos and Ibadan airports for travellers within the Iperu catchment area.
According to him, the airport’s location at Ilishan/Iperu, near the Sagamu Interchange and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, makes it strategically placed.
“This prime position offers easy access from key economic centres, functions as an alternative to Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed Airport, and places it adjacent to an agro-industrial processing zone and a free zone, positioning it as a major hub for both cargo exports and regional trade,” Majekodunmi said.
He expressed ValueJet’s excitement at being one of the first carriers to fly into the new airport, noting that in just three years, the airline had built a reputation for passenger trust, partnerships, and teamwork in redefining the travel experience across Nigeria.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had on August 15 granted GWI Airport an Aerodrome Operational Permit, clearing it for scheduled commercial air transport services.
The airport features a 4,000-metre-long and 60-metre-wide runway, one of the longest and widest in West Africa, capable of accommodating wide-body and ultra-long-haul aircraft, including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350.